Just as Ma Zhou was trying to investigate the truth, a discordant voice came from the crowd.
"Grand Chancellor, is there any need to investigate this matter?"
"Geng Jingming just impeached His Highness the Eldest Grandson yesterday, and today he was poisoned to death in his duty room. This is clearly a deliberate act of revenge!"
Upon hearing this, Ma Zhou immediately rebuked him angrily.
"Watch your words!"
"Poisoning a high-ranking official is a capital offense. What evidence do you have to prove that this matter is related to the eldest grandson of the emperor?"
Upon hearing Ma Zhou's words, the man immediately lowered his head guiltily, but his mouth continued to ramble on and on.
"I never said it was the eldest grandson who did it!"
"you!"
"Men, record the names of everyone here. I will inform His Majesty before making a decision!"
Upon hearing this, the people around scattered like birds and beasts.
Although Ma Zhou brought a few yamen runners, his manpower was still insufficient to face hundreds of officials.
These people quickly broke through the blockade, then covered their faces and slunk away.
"Don't run!"
"I've memorized your faces. Even if you try to escape, I'll bring you back!"
Ma Zhou shouted a few times as a symbolic gesture, and only after everyone had disappeared did he order his men to collect Geng Jingming's body.
With things having come to this point, Ma Zhou had no better options than to return and report to His Majesty.
"Your Majesty, this matter has escalated to an unbearable level, and I am powerless to handle it..."
Li Shimin had already heard about the farce at the Ministry of Revenue, and now, hearing Ma Zhou say this, he sighed helplessly.
"well!"
"I had no intention of killing anyone, but it seems someone is forcing me to become a tyrant!"
Ma Zhou's heart skipped a beat when he heard this; the thing he feared most had finally happened!
In fact, the reason Ma Zhou wanted to smooth things over was because he was afraid that His Majesty would take up the sword and cause a bloodbath in the court.
But in the current situation, it's clear that someone is setting things up and trying to escalate the situation.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable..."
"Your Majesty, please grant me some time. I am certain I can devise a proper solution!"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin waved his hand impatiently.
"No!"
"They have crossed my bottom line, and I can no longer tolerate it."
"Death advice?"
"murder?"
"Heh heh, they actually used these despicable methods on my great-grandson!"
"If I don't slaughter them until rivers of blood flow, they'll really think I'm easy to bully!"
"Guards, tear Geng Jingming apart by five horses, behead all the men in his household, and send the women to the brothel as slaves!"
"All officials who went to the Ministry of Revenue today to watch the spectacle will be demoted one rank and fined three months' salary!"
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